12 red-carpet looks that are perfect prom-night inspiration
Barbie-inspired dresses in hot pink and other vibrant shades are big this prom season.
Square and off-the-shoulder necklines are becoming more common than sweetheart necklines.
Red-carpet pantsuits can provide unconventional prom style inspiration.
Hot-pink Barbiecore dresses, like Stephanie Hsu's Valentino gown at the 2023 Oscars, are expected to be big at proms this year.
Greta Gerwig's upcoming "Barbie" movie and a Y2K fashion renaissance have helped popularize the vibrant shade.
"While colorful dresses such as yellow, orange, and pink first became popular in the 1960s, hot-pink prom dresses will be everywhere this year as a nod to the 'Barbiecore' trend," Stitch Fix styling team lead Katie Merickel told Insider's Elana Klein.
The hot-pink color also lends itself to pantsuits like Zendaya's Valentino ensemble at 2023 Paris Fashion Week — another growing prom trend.
Merickel told Insider that requests for blazers on Stitch Fix increased 40% from last year.
"The best part about a prom suit? You can incorporate the separates into your wardrobe to mix and match with other looks," Merickel said.
Sandra Oh demonstrated another way to wear separates to formal events with a purple Rodarte jumpsuit and blazer at the 2022 Emmys.
The garment was almost entirely comprised of purple sequins, with a loosely draped purple satin top. Oh also draped a matching sequin-covered blazer over her shoulders.
Barbie-inspired outfits don't have to just be pink. Other bright colors, like Drew Afualo's yellow gown at the 2023 Oscars, also count.
The TikTok star's yellow gown, styled by Alex Clough, had a sweetheart neckline, bow detailing on the waist, and a slit in the full skirt.
Dresses with corset designs have been all over red carpets this year, and they make perfect prom looks, as well.
As Insider's Amanda Krause reported, corsets dominated the 2023 Oscars red carpet.
Sabrina Dhowre Elba chose a silver Nicolas Jebran corset dress for this year's Vanity Fair Oscar Party.
Daisy Edgar-Jones attended the 2023 Golden Globes in a black Gucci corset gown.
The corset featured black lace detailing, and the skirt was embellished with layered ruffles for a dramatic look perfect for a night of celebration.
Halle Bailey's turquoise Dolce & Gabbana corset gown from this year's Oscars featured a floaty tulle skirt.
In a nod to her starring role in Disney's upcoming remake of "The Little Mermaid," Bailey appeared in a strapless, aqua gown with a corset top and full skirt.
Ruffled dresses are among this year's prom trends as well — the cream Gucci gown Michelle Williams wore to the 2023 Golden Globes is the perfect inspiration.
Stylist Ali Levine told Insider's Elana Klein that ruffles in "dreamier and softer fabrics" are growing in popularity this prom season.
A prom dress like Cara Delevingne's one-shoulder Elie Saab Oscars look would make a dramatic statement.
Delevingne's dress also featured pockets, a thigh-high slit, and a statement shoulder embellishment.
Square necklines are also beginning to take precedence over sweetheart necklines on the red carpet, a shift that could influence prom styles.
Sweetheart necklines, which rose to prominence in the 1980s, are being replaced with straighter necklines, Insider's Elana Klein reported. Ana de Armas' Louis Vuitton gown from the 2023 Golden Globes, with side cutouts and silver embellishments, exemplifies the sharper angles of this style.
Britt Lower's metallic Cucculelli Shaheen gown with a square neckline also included cutouts on the sides.
Lower, who wore the dress to the 2022 Emmys, accessorized with matching gloves.
When cutouts aren't daring enough, a two-piece ensemble like Taylor Swift's 2023 Grammys look can make a bold statement at prom.
Designed by Roberto Cavalli, Swift's midnight-blue outfit alluded to her latest album, "Midnights."
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